Wind indicator for aviators



Sept. 27, 1932. HURN| 1,879,267

- WIND INDICATOR FOR AVIATORS Filed May 7, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 5rd /*7. Ha rnz' ATTORNEY Sept. 27, 1932/ F. M. HURNI WIND INDICATOR FOR AVIATORS Filed May 7. 1950 2 sheds-s eet 2 ATTORNEY Patented Se t 21, 1932 FORD I. HURN'I, OF 81. JOE, INDIANA WIND INDICATOR FOB AV'I ATOBS Application filed Kay 7,

This invention'relates to a wind indicator for aviators, the general object of the invention being to provide a member rotatably supported on an upright and having a propeller at one end and a fin at the other for holding the propeller in the wind, with means 0 erated by the propeller for alternately brea ing and making the circuits to a plurality of rows of lamps carried ,by the member, whereby an aviator in an aircraft can-tell from the position of the device the direction the wind is blowing adjacent the ground.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and specifically pointed out in the appended claim.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which Figure 1 is a top plan view of the device.

Figure 2 is an elevation thereof.

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view a through a part of the device.

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view of the circuits.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view similar to Figure 3.

Fi re 6 is a detail plan view of the upper mem er overhanging the contact rings.

In these views, the numeral 1- indicates a shaft or other upright having aring shaped member 2 connected to its upper end by the spokes 3 and the braces 4 which are connected to a tubular part 5 encircling the upper end of the upright. A substantially triangular shaped member A is rotatably supported on the ring 2 and the upright and has a prepeller 5' at its wide end and a fin 6 at its small end, the fin acting to hold the propeller in the wind. The device A consists of a base 7 and a casing 8 supported by the base and formed in part of transparent material.

A plurality of transverse rows of electric lamps 9 is arranged in the casing and supported by the base 7 1930. Serial No. 450,556.

of the base 7 and said shaft is connected by-the gears 12 to a shaft 13 journaled in saidcasing, this shaft 13 being hollow and mounted on a stationary shaft 14 which is supported in the casing. Gears 15 connect the hollow shaft 13 with a hollow shaft 16 journaled' on a bushing 17 in the casing and through which the propeller shaft passes, and said shaft 16 has a circular head part 18 which is provided with a number of nonconducting parts 19. Thus the head or disk 18 is rotated from the propeller. A plurality of brushes 20 contact the disk 18 and are so arranged that during the rotation of the disk, the non-conducting parts 19 will pass over the brushes and the circuits to which the brushes contacting the parts 19 are connected, will be broken.

A conductor 21 leadsfrom a suitable source of supply through the upright 1 and is connected to a ring 22 which surrounds the upper end of the upright and is located in the casing 8. This ring 22 contacts a ring 23 carried by said casing, the two rings being insulated from the upright, as shown at 24 while overhanging said member 22 is the member 24, and the ring 23 is connected by a con ductor 25 to the conductors 26, each of which is connected to a row of lamps. Conductors 27 connect the other terminals of the rows of lamps with the brushes 20. Thus it will be seen that current will pass from the source through the conductor 21, the rings 22 and 23 and conductor 25 to thelamps and from the lamps, the current will pass through the conductors 26, brushes 20 to the disk 18 which is grounded so that those lamps, the brushes 20 of which are not in contact with the nonconductor parts 19, will be lighted, As the disk is rotated by the propeller, the 'nonconductor parts 19 will be brought in contact. with other brushes so that the rows of lamps are lighted and extinguished in succession,

which gives the device the appearance of the ordinary wind bag now used on flying fields. This invention will indicate the direction of the wind to pilots of aircrafts and can be seen at long distances both at night and during the day and it can be used wherever desired and the lamps can be made of various colors.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the-advantages and novel features of the invention will be readily apparent.

It is to be understood that changes may be made in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall Within the soap? of the appended claim.

at I claim is A device of the character described comprising an upright, a horizontally disposed flat substantially triangular shaped casing rotatably su ported centrally thereof at the upper end 0 the upright, said casing having its top, sides and ends formed of transparent material, a vertical fin at the small end of the casing, a propeller at the large end of said casing, means whereby said propeller is supported in a plane below the same, lamps arranged in the casing in rows transversely thereof, means for connecting the rows of lamps with a source ofcurrent su'pply, and a circuit closing device included in said means and connected with the propeller and operable for connecting the source of supply successively to the rows of lamps.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

FORD M. HURNI. 

